Reliving the Past
by DarkenedMartyr
Summary: Jack finds himself in his room the day before the knights' trial after a battle with the Ethereal Queen. What kind of difference will he make? Updating will be slow, as I want to be accurate, which requires play-through on my part.
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

Alright, little intro here. First, I don't own this game. That'd be way too awesome. But also, I'd like to thank the retired writer of the Fanfic "Strong, Slient Type." Though the story's been taken down, it gave me an idea of a more serious Jack, which'll really play into this story. Anyways, Read and Review.

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Opening his eyes slowly, Jack glanced around at his surroundings, trying to take in where he was. Examining the familiar surroundings, he noted that he was in his room, and in his drowsiness he yawned and closed his eyes again momentarily.

_Wait…My room? I haven't slept here since the day before the knight trials…_ he thought, his brain taking a moment to process this information before he jumped up off his bed, the surprise waking him up. Standing up, he looked down at the same pajama's he'd worn that day, turned backwards somehow, noting how junk was splayed about the room just as he'd left it. "What the hell…" he murmured, eyes widening in realization as he recalled his most recent memory.

Out of breath, Jack stood facing the ethereal queen, Arbitrator resting against the ground, Jack's arms too tired to lift it without reason. His party was hurt just as badly, and he took a quick glance at Valkyrie, Gil and Romaria before turning his eyes back to the figure in front of him.

"What do you desire now that you've proven your strength?" she asked, eyes watching calmly before a smile hit her face, along with a small laugh. "Perhaps it is not my place…" she murmured, slowly fading away. "But I am sure…You will be able to…" As her voice cut off, and she faded completely away, a beam of white light hit Jack, lifting him up into the air, and his comrades called out to him, trying to think of a way to help in the panic of the situation. His eyes wide, he felt pure power flowing through him as a small symbol appeared in his right eye; a small blue triangle. _Perhaps…you can change the outcome…_a voice spoke to his mind before the light enveloped him, and all of his comrade's cries were silenced.

Jack winced and ran a hand through his hair, sweating now.

_Back in time. Did she send me back in time? Can I help the world?_ Jack thought wildly, shaking slightly. _I…I have to. I've got to. Plenty of people died who didn't need to. _Suddenly, Jack lifted his head to the door to see his sister, Adele, standing with her hands on her hips.

"Jack Russell! Why aren't you up yet? Don't you know what today is?" Staring at him momentarily, her eyes suddenly softened. "Jack, what's wrong? You look bad; more than shaken…"

Jack looked back wide eyed at his sister, nearly crying, as the last he'd seen of her, she was still sporting cuts and bruises from Cross' torture. "I'm fine sis…and yeah, I know. It's the knight selection trials…right?" he muttered, standing up calmly. "Come on. Let's go practice a bit before I go," he said, throwing on the best smile he could and walking past her.

Adele stared after him in confusion. _Why does Jack seem so different today? He seems so much more mature than yesterday, so much more sad…what could be bothering him?_ She thought before toughening herself up, to toughen him up. _Mom…dad…help him._

Jack picked up a wooden sword by the door, weighing it slightly in his hand, determining which type of attack he would use. He knew every technique he'd learned before. He remembered his limit breaks. He even felt confident enough that he could apply a lot these techniques, even if his body wasn't the same as when he'd last used it. As Adele stepped outside as well, Jack got into a fighting stance and narrowed his eyes. "Sis…be ready. I'm not lacking in skill, you know."

Adele frowned. "This isn't like you Jack. You're arrogant, but you sound completely different. What's wrong? What happened?" she asked again, only to feel a rush of air fly at her ask Jack held the end of the wooden sword up to her throat.

"Sis…there's a lot to explain. I'll try the best I can. But for now…let's put on a good show. Everyone's coming to watch," Jack told her, his speech broken as he tried to find the right words. Backing away and laughing, he had managed to throw on a mask of his former self before their neighbors showed up, all wanting to watch Jack before he left.

Adele stood stunned, eyes wide. _Good show? What the hell did he just do?_ Shaking slightly, she stopped herself and narrowed her eyes. _It must've been a fluke_, she told herself, attacking him with all she had. The fight progressed as if Jack's skill hadn't gotten any better. Though in truth, Jack was almost having trouble keeping this awkward, goofy fighting style. After half an hour, both of them set their swords down against the wall and walked inside. Looking back at Jack as soon as the door was closed, Adele's brow was furrowed.

"I want an explanation. What is going on with you today, Jack?" she asked loudly, looking angry and worried. Looking back calmly, Jack smiled.  
"This is going to sound crazy…but I've already lived this day before, along with the next few months, in fact. And what happens…People die. Lots of people. Let me leave it at that for today, Sis. I promise I'll explain more another time," Jack said calmly. "For now, I have to pack…would you mind making some breakfast? I'm starved!" he added as he entered his room, not waiting for a reply.

Adele's mouth practically dropped, though she lifted it quickly again. She wanted to believe he was lying, and chide him for it. But the serious look in his eye gave no sign of a fib, and she could merely stare in amazement. As he took a lighter tone, she smiled weakly. "Hurry up, Jack. You don't want to be late…"

Jack went into his room and changed into an actual pair of clothes and looking around for things to pack. He paused when he saw his bag already packed, something he was sure he hadn't done, sitting in the corner, with a small note on it. Curiosity overtaking him, he pulled the note and opened it up.

_Jack Russell,_

_Do not be surprised. Do not be afraid. You may be able to make even more of a difference, given the opportunity. Humans are creatures of unlimited potential. May you help save both human and non-human with your efforts. Aphelion must be stopped. Others may remember you, so be prepared for both joy and sorrow. The sands of fate are turning in an opposite direction already._

_Quasar_

"Quasar…Where have I heard that name before?" he asked himself quietly, looking from the note to the bag and opening it to examine its contents. First a small smile broke his face, then a grin. "Whoever you are Quasar…You must want as much change as I do," he said, examining all of the items he'd collected, including a large quantity of berries. Herbs, cures for ailments of any kind, and also his prized feather earring, all were there. He spotted something shining and pulled at it, hearing the familiar springing sound of his training device. "I can be ready…without a problem."

Hefting the bag over his shoulder, he walked out into the main room. After a quick breakfast, Adele went into her room and came back holding The Arbitrator. Cairn's sword. His father's sword. His sword. Holding it out to him, Adele smiled. "Take it, Jack. You may not be able to use it, but someday you will be." Nodding, Jack took hold of the sword's handle. Suddenly, the gem in the handle grew bright with light, causing both Jack and Adele to gape.  
"So…You remember too, huh?" Jack asked, smiling suddenly as he attached the sword to his bag. "I promise I'll explain everything sis. But now, I've got to go," he said, flicking at his Feather Earring and dashing out the door. Adele ran to the door to watch him go, surprised yet again. "Mom…Dad…what's going on?"


	2. Chapter 2: Return to Radiata

Jack slowed down his pace as soon as he was far enough away from his home, slowing down to enjoy the surroundings. "Man…sure has been awhile since I've been around here," he said to himself, feeling a sense of nostalgia for the land that he'd been kept from. _It wasn't their fault though…they thought I was the bad guy, because I went with the non-humans and Ridley…_ his train of thought paused momentarily. "I wonder if she remembers…" he asked himself, advancing down the road towards Lupus Gate.

Passing a guard on his way into the city, he laughed nervously and waved before mentally slapping himself. _You don't need to worry about that anymore. They aren't your enemy now._ Grinning at Theater Vancoor, he heard the familiar sound of people training on the landing above, keeping his eyes up to watch for falling weapons. As he felt the nostalgia of being in the city again, he stared up at Radiata Castle, pausing much like his first time seeing it. "I wonder…will I make it into the knights this time?" he asked himself, smiling weakly. _Wonder how long I'll stick around this time…Maybe I should kill Cross at the first possible chance,_ he thought, an almost malicious smile passing over his lips.

"You will. You did say this time, didn't you?" a voice asked, causing Jack to jump and turn around. Already pieces were starting to fall together.

"Genius?" Jack asked, jaw dropping. "So you remember…that's good. That could be very good," he said with a smile, holding out his hand.

Genius looked at him and nodded. "I do. And it seems you do too. Though I have no idea what's going on, I thought I'd come here to begin with. You seem to have an idea. What happened, Jack?" Genius asked, his eyes showing a thirst for knowledge.

"I don't have time now Genius…just know that this is a chance for us to change the future. I'll see you within a few weeks. Apply for the mission, just as you did before. History can't change too much," Jack said, looking at a nearby clock and dashing up to the castle gate before Genius could complain.

Within the next hour, Jack found himself sitting in the familiar waiting room. He'd already looked at the matches, and found that he was still paired with Ridley in the first round. However, she wasn't in the room yet. He frowned, but realized that he was earlier than he'd been the last time, so he waited, biding his time. After a few minutes, he saw her walk in as he'd first met her; a high sense of nobility with a dash of snotty attitude. After glancing at the board herself, she seated herself on a free bench, eyes closed while she waited.

_It looks like she doesn't remember…that may be better though,_ he thought, smiling weakly in her direction. As the guard came out and announced the first match, Jack thought of betting on the result before pushing the idea out of his head. The bell rang, the man named Paul entered, and another man named Sebastian dragged in the other opponent, Star. The guard called out both Jack and Ridley's names, and they proceeded forward into the coliseum.

Looking across the way at Ridley, then up at Lord Larks, he smiled weakly. "Are you ready, Ridley?" Jack asked her, drawing his sword as Junzaburo, the referee, announced the terms of the contest. Ridley looked at Jack with a stare of disgust, drawing her axe as well.

"Selection trials round two! Ridley Silverlake vs. Jack Russell!....Begin!"

It looked as if Jack's feet were barely touching the ground as he rushed towards Ridley. Though she was stunned at first, she managed to bring up her axe to block an attack towards her front, though the impact sent her back a few feet. Grinning, Jack lifted one foot and tapped the toes against the ground. "Come on, missy. You can have one free blow." _This won't be a repeat of the first time. You won't be able to blow off my hits._

Scowling at the boy in front of her, Ridley picked her axe up and began to spin rapidly before shouting out "Wild Pitch!" and hurling her weapon at Jack. Wincing, Jack brought his blade up just in time to block the blunt of the blow, though he was sent sprawling onto his back. Standing up shakily, he spit out some blood to the side. _I need to train. This body won't cut it,_ he thought weakly before getting back into his stance, focusing for a moment before charging towards Ridley. "Limit Break!"

While Junzaburo watched with wide eyes, Larks sat calmly, assessing the two combatants in front of him. He'd already made his decision before the fight to allow both to join the knights, but now he was impressed with them both. "For being so young, they certainly show potential, don't they Sir Ganz?"

Ganz, however, had his jaw dropped like Junzaburo. "Simply amazing!" he finally replied, watching as the fight commenced.

As Jack dashed inward, he pushed his body to its extreme, making every cut he could against the now weaponless Ridley. Though his sword was dulled for the match, Jack knew she'd wake up with more pain that she might've experienced by now. Turning his blade in his hand, he made the final blow, pausing in his movement only to look back a second later. "Just fall, Ridley. You'll still be in the knights," he said quietly, watching as she fell onto her back, unconscious. After a moment of silence, Junzaburo snapped back into his frame of mind. "Winner…Jack Russell!" he shouted. Jack walked over to his opponent and picked her up gently, carrying her back into the waiting room where a medic would hopefully be standing by.

Within an hour, all matches had concluded; Jack had finished in first. Lord Larks, Ganz, and Junzaburo stood in front of the lineup of competitors. After Lord Larks had a quick word with Junzaburo, which Jack speculated involved Ridley's acceptance as well, Junzaburo cleared his throat.

"Introducing Lord Larks, Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Radiata knights," he started, gesturing towards the man referenced, "And Captain Ganz Rothschild of the Rose Cochon Brigade. New recruits will be placed under his command. And now for the tournament results…Both Ridley Silverlake and Jack Russell show sufficient skill to be entered into the knights." The group of contestants murmured slightly, but all were silent after a moment.

Jack watched as his old friend approached him, hoping that he might be one to remember. "Master Jack Russell? I am Ganz Rothschild, leader of the Rose Cochon Brigade. It shall be a pleasure to have both you and Lady Ridley within the brigade. Er…where is Lady Ridley?" he questioned Jack.  
"She hasn't woken up yet…suppose that's my fault, captain," Jack said, laughing and rubbing the back of his head.

"Well not to worry Master Jack, she will soon. In the meantime, go to your assigned room and switch into your official knight's attire. Then we shall begin the inauguration ceremony," the captain concluded, beaming.

_The captain's as happy as ever…he doesn't remember. That's good, though,_ Jack thought, returning the smile. "Yes sir. I'll move as fast as I can."


	3. Chapter 3: Initiation

Sorry that took so long, everyone. Been busy with school. But it's out now! I'm free! At least until I start college in August. Until then, I'll try to update more. I have ideas, I've just been either busy or lazy. Hope you like it, and constructive criticism is always welcome. I don't own the characters, the world, the original script or the original story.

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Jack walked silently behind Al, the castle steward, as he was lead to a room of which he already knew the location. When he stopped and turned around, Jack nearly ran into him, his mind full of thoughts already. Clearing his throat, the steward gestured towards the door.

"This will be Master Jack's room. You will find your trainee knight's wear on your bunk. Once you have changed, proceed to the third floor meeting room, as you are expected at the Rose Cochon inauguration ceremony."

Jack sighed and shook his head. _I can travel back through time, try to change the future…but I still get stuck in a crappy room._

"Thank you, Al" he said to the steward, giving him a slight nod before entering the room. Upon closing the door, Leonard looked up from the desk to Jack.

Al frowned slightly. _That's funny. I didn't introduce myself to him…_

"Can I help you?" he asked almost lazily. Jack nodded.

"I'm Jack, one of the new knights. This is my room, right?"

Understanding crossed Leonard's eyes and he nodded. "Yeah, that's right. I'm Leonard, and I'll be the room leader. That's your bed back there," he said, pointing to the lower bunk. Jack grinned weakly to himself, remembering his initial reaction to this predicament (a dramatic and overly drawn out death wail), almost feeling like laughing. Leonard waved a hand in front of his face and brought him back to reality.

"Think I lost you there for a moment. Anyways, go ahead and get changed. Won't be good to keep your new captain waiting."

After a few moments, Jack was in his new uniform, looking down with a sigh. "This thing definitely isn't comfortable." Leonard looked back at him and laughed.

"Well, if you make captain, you can wear what you want. 'Til then, you stick with regulation." Jack nodded to this and reached for the door handle, pausing for a moment before continuing. Leonard stared after him for a second, then shook his head. "Weird kid."

Jack progressed straight to the meeting room as planned, still remembering the basic layout of the castle. _Memories definitely come in handy here…_ he thought, smiling lightly as he recalled all the times he got lost. Opening the door to the room, an excited Ganz looked up.

"Ah, good timing Master Jack. They do say clothes make the man. You do look like quite the little lord!" he said, smiling. "Ms. Ridley should be here shortly, as I got word that she woke up some time ago. Tell me, how are your new quarters?"

"Good, Captain. Everything's good. Though this armor definitely isn't very comfortable…" Jack replied with a weak smile, sitting down at the table and looking to him.

Suddenly the door opened, and both turned to see Ridley enter the room. While she looked a bit weary, at least she was up and moving. "Ah yes, Lady Ridley! Please, take a seat right there," he said, gesturing towards the seat across from him. Ridley, however, took the seat across from Jack, staring at him with a look of curiosity. After a moment, she narrowed her glare slightly before closing her eyes.

"What's this? Do I sense some bad blood between you two?" Ganz asked aloud, and Jack merely smiled.

"Nothing from my side, Captain. Give her a day and she'll be fine, I think," Jack answered, to which he received a glare from Ridley. Looking between them, Ganz shook his head.

"That will not do. Teamwork! Teamwork is the key to the success of the Radiata Knights!" he stated, to which Ridley sighed and shook her head, looking to Ganz and nodding.

"Very well sir. There will be no problems working with him in the future," Ridley said firmly.

"Excellent. Now, onto business," Ganz started, fumbling for a paper with notes. "Er…On this, the most auspicious of days…we are all thrilled to be here for the inauguration of the Rose Cochon brigade!" Jack started to unintentionally tune out Ganz's speech and concentrated on what he would do next.

_I don't have a chance to do anything, for now…but I definitely need to improve myself physically. I'm glad that Quasar guy left me the training equipment…but I should keep it hidden. I need to act natu-_

"Master Jack? Are you paying attention?" Ganz cut into his thoughts, causing Jack to flinch and jump back into reality.

"I'm sorry, Captain. I'm…tired out. From the trials and everything," Jack lied trying to laugh it off.

"Well then, pay more attention Jack. Some of this is important, you know," Ganz said, looking a little hurt. "I'm about to go over the mission details anyways, so please pay attention." Clearing his throat, Ganz began. "As I've told Lady Ridley, Lord Larks has honored us by giving us an important mission. We will escort a dwarf carrying metal goods and weapons for trade. It will be our mission to see both dwarf and cargo brought safely back to Radiata. It's a real honor that the brand new Rose Cochon brigade would be given such a super important task! If we do well on this mission, I think we can expect to see the Rose Cochon's stock rise considerably! We're on the fast track to fame!" Ganz said, practically beaming. Jack smiled weakly and turned his gaze to Ridley, who was staring at him as well. Looking back to Ganz, he nodded.

"Sounds great, Captain. When do we leave?" he asked, trying to throw in a bit of his enthusiasm.

"Tomorrow morning. Make sure that you're prepared, as the journey will be a long one. Both of you are dismissed."

All three knights stood, and Jack made his way to the door, opening it for Ridley. As she passed, her eyes locked with his. "I want to know how you're so good, farm boy," she whispered as she passed, not looking back as she walked toward her room. Jack winced and shook his head, leaving Ganz alone in the meeting room, very confused.

That night, Jack dreamt of the past. Or rather, his past. He was sitting under the Resin tree, watching the stars, waiting for Ridley to show up. Jack watched from the sky, as if in the audience, as the two exchanged their words. As Ridley walked off, Jack smiled weakly and shook his head. _Maybe this time I can make a happy ending for myself…_ he thought, shaking his head. _Not with her, though. I have to choose a different path this time._


	4. Chapter 4: Earth Valley

Sorry about the wait everyone. Honestly, I haven't been motivated to write, but I got an urge tonight, and downed it all in one swoop. I read through and realized that it isn't as detailed as it could be, but I think it's still decent. Still, if people want me to be more detailed in future chapters, leave a comment. Further, I'd like to thank EinsatzCalcatrix on youtube. He's doing a complete playthrough of the game, so it won't take as much time for me, as I don't have to play the game to get the script I need. Thanks to all the reviewers, I'll get back to you as soon as I complete this story. I've seen at least a few bits of helpful advice, as well as tons of encouragement. Thanks all, I'll try to update more often.

I don't own the original story, original characters, or original script for this story.

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Yawning and stretching, Jack slapped his alarm clock and sat up with a groan. Leonard turned over in his bed and put a pillow over his head, making Jack give a weak grin.  
_Looks like someone doesn't have to get up early this morning,_ he thought to himself, quickly outfitting himself with his knight's attire and gathering together the pack he'd be taking with him. As he took some items out of his large storage, he thought about the journey ahead, and wondered what he could do differently for the time being. _First things first, I have to get stronger…I can't take on much of anyone like this…especially not a blood orc,_ he thought calmly, pulling out the training gear he'd stored in a box under his bed. Hesitating, he put it in his travel sack, knowing that if he wore it on the journey, it'd be noticeable. When he finished packing, he slung the bag over his shoulder and took a look at the clock.

"Fifteen minutes…shit," he mumbled to himself, dashing out of the room and slamming the door, heading for the main entrance of the castle. Within ten minutes, he'd arrived at the open gateway, panting slightly as he bent on his hands and knees. Taking a seat against the gateway, he sighed and looked around. "Where is everyone…?" he muttered aloud before seeing the captain approaching, who gave a wave and sped up his pace.  
"Master Jack! You're early!" the captain said enthusiastically, setting his bag down as well. Jack opened his mouth to question before he remembered setting his clock back fifteen minutes the night before. Sighing at his defeat (by his own hand no less!) he stood to give his captain a salute.

"Yes sir. But I mis-judged the time, so I can't say it's because I'm a good knight," Jack admitted, giving a light smile to the captain. "I actually set my clock a few minutes back, but I didn't remember until I got here." The captain looked a bit disappointed, but he shook it off quite quickly.  
"That's quite alright Master Jack. I just got a little over excited, is all," he said, dismissing the knight from his position. Ganz set down his own bag near Jack's and gave a sigh. "Truthfully, I'm quite nervous about this. It's quite a responsibility, getting a mission this important so early on. Besides, I'm not that much of a diplomat…" Trailing off, the captain shook his head. "But I'm sure we can handle it, the two of us and Lady Ridley." Jack nodded his approval before turning at the sound of approaching footsteps.  
"That's..."

"Ah, Lord Jasne! What a pleasure to see you this early in the morning!" the captain said, cutting off Jack as he stood up. Jack followed the captain's example, remembering the last encounter he'd had with the man with a slight smirk on his face. At the sight of them, Jasne groaned mentally, though he threw on a smile just as well.  
"Ah yes, Captain Rothschild…a fine morning for a walk, isn't it? Um, tell me, Ridley wouldn't happen to be here yet, would she?" he asked as formally as possible. As if summoned by magic itself, Ridley walked out of the gate. A look of frustration crossed her face as she noticed her father, but it quickly changed to her regular impassive stare. Jack winced at the unspoken tension, clearing his throat calmly.

"Well, everyone is here now…Captain, isn't it time to leave?" he said, nudging Ganz's side lightly. Ganz jumped slightly, but nodded.

"Yes of course Master Jack. Lord Jasne, excuse us," he said, the two grabbing their bags and walking down the street, Ridley following at their heels with her own equipment. As they reached a reasonable distance, Jack turned back and nodded to Ridley.

"I'm sorry if it was intrusive, but that looked like an uncomfortable situation, so I cut in," he said, giving a light smile even as she frowned.

"I didn't need your help, farm boy. Don't forget that," she said snobbishly. But internally she did hold a bit of gratitude for the action, though she had more questions from the incident than gratitude. _How does he know how to address nobles? He hasn't been taught at all, hell, he's supposed to be a hick,_ she thought, fuming silently as she pondered. Jack shrugged off her behavior and moved forward to the captain.  
"So captain, what's on the agenda first?" Jack questioned, trying to at least act the part of an unknowing pawn for the castle.  
"Well, we have one more person accompanying us. A member of the Olacian Order…I believe his name was Clive," Ganz said, continuing past various shops and houses towards the gate. "He should be meeting us near the front of Theater Vancoor, the warrior guild." As they got closer to the gate, Jack spotted a figure in white robes and gave a weak grin. As they approached, the captain stepped forward to greet him.  
"Howdy," the figure said, nodding to the captain.

"You are from Olacian, yes?" the captain asked, receiving a nod. "Right then. I am Captain Ganz Rothschild, and these are my subordinates, Master Jack and Lady Ridley. You must be Master Clive."

"Yep. I just joined Olacian, though. I can't do nothin' yet," the man answered with his thick country drawl.  
"You can't do nothing? Nothing at all?" the captain answered with the same incorrect grammar as their new party member. Jack gave a light smile, while Ridley put a hand to her forehead, contemplating this new development in her mind, along with the foolishness of her captain.  
"Nope. I'm real new, so they haven't taught me anything," Clive answered with a hint of guilt. "But I'll do all I can to help out." The captain sighed, but never letting himself be down for long, quickly nodded and smiled.

"Alright then, as long as we have everyone, I believe we're ready to go," he announced, heading towards the gate, the other three following.

Passing through Lupus gate, the group paused as Ganz turned around. "Alright team, this is it. We can be attacked now, so be on your guard." Ridley sighed and shook her head at this.  
"Captain, there can't be anything too dangerous around here, right? Simple enemies that won't be a problem," she stated calmly. The captain nodded, but continued to be determined.

"True, Lady Ridley, things will seem simple here. But I've heard talk of Bandits along the road we're going. Anything could happen, so we need to be prepared for anything. Even orcs." At this, Jack winced involuntarily, recalling the soon to be incident on their second mission. Unfortunately, the captain caught this reaction. "Are you alright, Jack?"  
"Fine…just…excited! I mean, an orc would be a huge challenge, wouldn't it?" Jack played off, giving a grin as he remembered his excitement the first thing around. _At least some things don't change…_ he thought to himself, though the other three members of the party acted like he'd done something completely ridiculous.

"Jack, just promise me you won't do anything to bring trouble," Ganz said calmly, while Ridley merely sighed.  
"An orc would tear you to pieces, you know," she said, receiving a nod of agreement from Clive.  
"They can kill a smilodon with their bare hands," Clive said, and the two walked after the captain calmly. Jack stood still, feeling foolish for a few moments before he shrugged off the feeling, moving after them to follow the captain. It was going to be a long day, he was sure.

As the sun was setting, the weary group approached Earth Valley, home of the dwarves. The weary party stood at the top of a steep cliff, taking in the view of the city as they caught their breath. They'd gotten into a few skirmishes, but like Ridley had predicted, nothing they couldn't handle. Even the bandits proved to be simpler than imagined. Jack stood off by himself, unlike his first encounter with this place, merely thinking about the tragedies that would occur in this place. "No…not this time," he said quietly, just as Ridley was approaching to scold him and tell him to get moving.  
"What was that?" Ridley asked, not sure if she'd heard him right. Jack flinched and turned around, laughing nervously and rubbing the back of his head.

"Ah, nothing. Don't mind me, your lady-ship," he said, picking up his bag and walking after the captain and Clive, who had already gone ahead. Ridley watched momentarily before following.

_Something is definitely strange about him…I'll have to keep an eye open. The captain doesn't seem to see it,_ she thought calmly, following after him as well.

Ganz arrived at the gate first, calling out to get the attention of the gatekeeper. "We are the Rose Cochon brigade, sent in place of the Violet Chevre," he called out.  
"Ah, you're here to escort the trade cart. Alright, hold on," the dwarf called, and soon the gate opened. The party stepped inside, and everyone seemed to have a look of surprise as they saw the city, save for Jack, who kept himself quiet. "Right! Well, we need to go see the village leader, Gonovitch. It won't take long, and then we can get a good night's rest," the captain said to the group before heading towards a large building made of gold, with jewels on it.

"Three guesses which building it is," Jack said jokingly, from which he got a smirk out of both Clive and Ganz, while Ridley gave a frown of disapproval. Still, within a few minutes, they'd arrived, and Ganz knocked loudly on the door.

"Come in! I'm on the second floor!" a voice called from above, to which Ganz opened the door, and the party followed.

"Hm…So you are here instead of the Violet Chevre," Gonovitch, the dwarf leader, said aloud. He didn't sound too enthused. However the captain was never one to be downtrodden by such a simple gesture.  
"It is an honor to be of service," Ganz said, giving a small bow towards the man. This raised some sort of interest for the dwarf leader, and he voiced it, apparently not afraid to be heard in any company.

"Hm? Who are you?"

"Ganz Rothschild, at your service," the captain answered diligently.

"You aren't Gawain's kid, are you?" the dwarf asked, to which Ganz visually reacted.  
"You…You know my father?" he asked hesitantly, glancing at Jack out of the corner of his eye. Jack was too preoccupied listening to the leader, so he didn't catch the small gesture.  
"There isn't a dwarf alive who doesn't know who your father was. You know…" he started, before Ganz cut him off.  
"Yes, yes, well. We can talk about my father another time," Ganz started hesitantly, to which Jack finally did take notice.

_Captain…you don't have to worry. I know what really happened,_ Jack thought to himself, knowing he'd have to talk to him soon.  
"Ah yes, I have a very important favor to ask of you Ganz…" Gonovitch said, reaching behind him and looking around his desk before pulling out a letter. "I want you to take this to your king. It's a letter describing the new prices for our metal goods and weapons." Ganz looked slightly taken aback, but resumed his captain like stance before it became noticeable.  
"Did you say new prices?" He asked, verbalizing his surprise. The entire party could tell that this wasn't good news, but Jack knew the gravity of it more than anyone.  
"We're getting less and less ore out of this mountain. The mine is running dry. What's more, the water of Earth Valley is turning muddy and foul, and the earth is turning thin and barren. Nothing will grow here anymore…" the man stated, taking a pause at the last words. Jack could tell this man was worried about his people, and he knew there wasn't much of a choice in this. But still he cursed himself for not being able to share the consequences of this action. His reaction showed visibly, and unfortunately, Ridley had been watching.

"That is terrible, sir," Ganz said, showing his remorse with his eyes.

"Everybody is having a hard time," Gonovitch continued, resuming his stature. "We have no choice but to raise our prices, just a little."  
"And hence the letter…I see. I will make sure that it is delivered safely," Ganz assured the man, taking the letter from him.

"Thank you my friend," the dwarf said to them, nodding lightly. "The goods will take about a day to be prepared. Please, relax and enjoy some of the Valley's hospitality."

And with that, the group was dismissed, each to go their own way. Clive went to explore the city, while the other three momentarily went to the inn to prepare the room. After setting up home base, the captain gave his okay for them to go about as they wished.  
"Um…captain? Can I have a word with you?" Jack asked, to which the captain nodded. The pair stepped out into the hall, and Ridley took a seat next to her bed, sighing.  
"Captain…I just wanted to say…don't blame yourself for whatever our fathers may have done," Jack said calmly, causing Ganz's eyes to widen. "I don't think your father…well…killed my dad. So don't feel strained by it, alright?" Ganz looked at Jack momentarily before sighing and leaning against a wall.

"Thank you Master Jack. I didn't mean to worry, but it just…" he paused and shook his head. "Someday, we'll talk about our fathers. But not today, not while we're on a mission," Ganz said, looking up with determination. Jack smiled and nodded.  
"Understood Captain!" Jack replied with enthusiasm before entering the room again. Grabbing his bag, he went to leave when he was cut off verbally.  
"Where do you think you're going farm boy? With all of your things, no less," Ridley said curtly, causing the Captain to question the motive as well.  
"I wanted to…get a souvenir for my sister. I figured I'd better bring my bag to store it," Jack replied, waiting to see how his excuse would go over.  
"That's very thoughtful of you, Master Jack. See to it that it's something nice," the captain said, and Jack nodded, closing the door behind him before giving a sigh of relief.

_Too close…_Jack thought calmly, exiting the inn and looking up at the now red sky. "Good…I should be able to train a bit," he said to himself, heading for the bridge leading to an open mine shaft, which several dwarves were crossing at this moment.

A few moments later, Ridley left the inn as well, looking around for a sign of Jack. She had a feeling he wasn't telling the truth when he'd spoken to the captain, and she wanted to find out what he was up to. After a few seconds, she caught sight of him on the bridge, and went to find him.

Jack passed a few dwarves on his way down into the mine, to which he merely nodded and gave a weak smile. As soon as he was deep enough, and no-one was around, he set down his bag and opened it, pulling out the Training Device he'd been saving. "Time to get some work done…" he spoke to himself as he fit himself into the springy accessory, wincing at his limited movement. _I got some work done today, but this should help a lot more,_ he thought, leaving his bag hidden behind a stack of barrels and proceeding down the path, his sword in hand, his movements limited.

Ridley glanced down the tunnel curiously for a minute before shaking her head. _No, he wouldn't go down there…why would he?_ She thought, stopping a dwarf politely as he exited. "Excuse me, did a human boy go down there?" she asked.

"Yes, I saw him heading down. Had a determined look on his face…maybe he's going to clear the mine's infestation for us," the dwarf said jokingly, laughing and patting the girl on the back as he continued forward to cross the bridge until he was out of sight. It was growing dark now, but the tunnels were lit, and Ridley decided to continue; she'd gone this far, she wanted to know what was going on.  
It took awhile before she picked up any trace of Jack, and she thought of going back numerous times, but found wreckage from what looked like battles, and hand continued on. After about half an hour of decent, she'd picked up noises that sounded close enough to battle to figure that the dwarf had actually been correct. _That idiot! Going down there alone is dangerous,_ she thought, breaking into a run. When the sounds stopped, her worry only increased, and she picked up her pace even further.

"Out of my way!" Jack shouted, slashing down on yet another mechanical menace, panting and lowering his sword at the realization that his enemies were defeated. Jack was trying to push his limits, and he was doing just that; he could already feel his muscles trying to restrict his movement, along with the training device, but he wouldn't have it. Picking up his sword, he shook his head; this wasn't going to be where he stopped. It'd barely been an hour since he started training, probably less, and he wasn't going to stop here. He gritted his teeth and made himself move forward, taking a herb to heal what injuries he had sustained in the last battle. _I need…to clear this mine…_ he thought, freezing as he heard footsteps behind him; armored footsteps. "Shit," he growled, dashing down one of the passageways to avoid detection.

Reaching the open room, Ridley sighed, seeing the remains of battle. "Missed it again!" she complained, looking up from the scraps to see that the path diverged. She looked between the two before taking the opposite path that Jack had taken.

Jack paused further down the corridor, listening for the sound of footsteps before he sighed and let himself cool down a bit. "Close call," he said to himself, closing his eyes for a moment. _Who would that have been?_ He pondered, though that would be revealed soon enough. As Jack was about to push forward again, he heard the sound of a scream. He winced as he recognized the voice, as well as his own mistake. "There were two paths," he voiced, groaning as he ran wearily towards where he'd just been.

Ridley was running now; there wasn't much she could do. She thought that she would've been able to deal with them, if Jack could, but her axe didn't have the force behind it. With that realization, she'd started running back towards the room she'd come from. _Jack...where is he?_ She thought, pausing as she reached the room she'd been to see Jack arriving at the same time. "Jack!" she said, running towards him before pausing. His eyes…they weren't the same as before. They were a lot more serious than she'd ever seen them. Further, what the hell was that thing he was wearing?

"Ridley…stay back. I haven't had much practice with this, but now's about as good a time as any," he said, stepping in front of her, his sword braced as the enemies she'd attracted, both initially and by her screaming, started out of the entrance. Closing his eyes momentarily, he reopened them with renewed vigor, gritting his teeth before shouting "TRI-EMBLEM!"

Ridley gasped as a blue light enveloped Jack, seeming to empower him before it dissolved into the air. She watched as Jack grinned and flexed the fingers in his free hand, slashing the air as a test of his newfound physical ability before rushing forward into the mix. "Jack!" Ridley shouted before seeing the mangled form of a machine being tossed away, then another, then another.

Jack was having fun; distracted from thoughts of the future, the fighting had just gotten interesting. His body no longer felt tense from the training device, but at the same time, he knew it was helping his body. He'd felt the increase in strength and flexibility immediately, but even as the battle progressed, he was more awed at the power. Enemy attacks hurt him less, some even deflected off like they were nothing. Yet he was throwing them around the room like they were ragdolls. After a few minutes, Jack drove his sword through the last machine, looking to Ridley before his eyes faded back to normal, the triangle within them disappearing as he fell forward, exhausted.

Ridley stared in amazement, awed to the point of inaction. When he fell, she stayed motionless, her mouth opening to speak, though the words took time to be produced. "What…what are you? What was that?" she asked, barely able to form the sentances. As Jack struggled to get up, she took a step back, bringing her axe to the front. "I asked a question!" Jack merely smiled as he reached up to his torso, pulling at a chain before the training device fell from his body and down to the floor.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you…so let's keep this between us." Groaning as he leaned down to pick up his gear, he grinned in her direction. "Besides, who'd believe you anyways?" Though he showed confidence, his mind was in turmoil. _It can't be over this fast, can it? I need to stay here! At least for now. _

Ridley stared at Jack for a few moments defensively, noting that his eyes seemed less confident than his smile. Taking her axe, she slammed it into the ground so that the handle was sticking out before she looked at him with calm determination.  
"Try me, farm boy."


	5. Chapter 5: Explanations

Woah! Surprise! Sorry it's been so long. I started college in August, and in November I got a part time job. When I wasn't working, I was trying to relax. I had started this chapter awhile ago, and I suddenly got a muse. It's short, but it has a little content for everyone. I'm going to try writing more now; I still love this story, and I'm starting to remember where I wanted to go with it, but like I hope I've mentioned before, there will be gaps; I'm busier than I was when I started this in the summer, believe me. But I do want to thank the people who reviewed this in my absence and requested more, as they helped inspire me to finish at least this little bit.

p.s. I'm really sorry it's so short; I just didn't want to start a big project like the return or the second mission just yet. When I write this, I want it to be good, not hastily thrown together.

* * *

Jack cursed under his breath as he stared back into the determined eyes of his party member. _Shit…well, looks like I may change my fate after all,_ he thought to himself, though it definitely wasn't looking like the future he'd started planning for. All his plans to delay the war, to work with officials by giving simple advice, even going as far as to eliminate the silver dragon before he could twist the castle higher-ups to do what he wanted, or researching a cure for Algandar's; everything was done for if he messed this up.

"Give me a minute to rest up a bit," Jack said calmly, leaning against a wall and sliding down it with a groan. In truth, he did need the break; now that the effects of Tri-Emblem had worn off, he was completely exhausted. Hell, his body was shaking slightly, triggered by exhaustion and continued by his muscles tightening up.

Ridley looked at him almost with a bit of pity before she walked over to the training gear that he'd dropped. Picking up, she saw him physically react and grinned.

"Hey, put that down!" Jack shouted, groaning internally as he was what she was doing.  
"If you can handle it farm boy, I'm sure it's not that bad," Ridley chided, slipping her arms through the springy coils, tying them down with a wince. _Maybe I should stop this…_ she thought, already feeling the lack of mobility with her arm, but instead of doing the sensible thing, she continued with her show of will.

Jack was standing now, walking towards her with narrowed eyes. "Ridley, put that thing down. Trust me, it doesn't feel bad now, but that thing's going to make it so you can't even move, trust me. At least on the setting I have it on," he tried to explain, though she didn't seem to want to hear it. Trying to tie the device down to her other arm, she couldn't keep her hold long enough to finish it. The springy arm snapped, shooting back with the same force she'd put into it, nearly making her immobile.  
"Wha-" she said, wincing at the force restricting her limbs. _How can he even move in this? Let alone make it look easy! _She thought, frustration filling her eyes as the boy walked over and pulled the chain, releasing the device to a more suitable level.

"It's called a training device. You can set the amount of resistance on your limbs to make you train more easily," he said, frowning as he tried to regain his composure. "Ridley, I really need you to keep quiet about this. I'm not afraid of them knowing I'm training, but I need to keep myself low-key."  
"Why? Why the need for any of this? Why are you pushing yourself so hard right now?" she asked scornfully, moving away from him now with less difficulty, though the strain on her muscles was felt. She wasn't asking the real questions that were plaguing her mind; who was this kid? Why could he handle this kind of pressure when she couldn't? She, someone who had trained for years, was behind this country boy who hadn't spent more than two days in the castle? Jack noticed the emotion filling her eyes and sighed, sitting back down.

"Just…calm down. If you want me to tell you more, I need you to be calm first. This is going to be…difficult to explain." Looking at her somberly, he hoped that she would sit down and listen…and after a few moments, she pulled off the training gear and set it down, sitting and trying to be calm. Giving a sigh of relief, he nodded. "Thank you. This is going to sound ridiculous, but I can't pause every time you have a question…so I'm just going to try and explain it." The girl nodded her approval, though Jack really didn't think she knew what she was getting herself into.

"Well…as you've definitely noted, I'm more skilled than I should be. That's because…well, this isn't the first time I've done this," he said, pausing. "I was sent back in time…I can't tell you how, because I really don't know, but I do know what I need to do. A lot of bad things are going to start happening to the world…to people I know…and I need to prevent it this time around, because I know what's going to happen and who's going to do it."

At first, Ridley was completely skeptical. Back in time? That was a ridiculous concept, that she was sure that the Vareth Institute had disproven decades ago. And yet…he spoke with such confidence and sorrow that he had to be telling the truth. Or at least what he thought was the truth.

"How bad are these things you're talking about? You're beating around the bush, not giving me any information at all," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Are you sure you aren't just delusional? That you haven't just imagined these things?" Jack shook his head somberly, the events running through his head. The blood orc attack, the war between humans and non-humans, the deaths of people who didn't need to die…he couldn't have imagined all that.

"This isn't a dream…I have proof. That training device is something I got…or I will get, I should say. It's something I won't have for a while, so I got to bring it back with me. Along with a lot of other things, and my money that I've saved. And as for how bad things get…the deaths will be in the thousands. An all-out war will rage…everyone I know will be in danger…I don't want this to happen again. I really…can't even stand the thought of it," he said, trying to smile even as tears ran down his face. "I can't let it happen again. That's why people can't know that I know anything. If they do, it could screw up everything I'm working for; do you understand?"

Ridley was stunned; what happened to the cool and confident knight that had just been fighting? Why would he be crying? A war? Death? She knew the words, and their meanings, but looking at how they affected her comrade…she didn't know they could take their toll this harshly. "I…I understand. I won't tell anyone…under one condition," she said, taking the pity out of her eyes and replacing it with a stern gaze. "Let me train with you; if these things could happen, I want to be ready."

Looking at her coolly, Jack assessed his options; well, if he had options, he would assess them. He had no choice but to give in to her demands, if he wanted to be able to take action the way he had planned. "Alright, fine. But when I say to stop, you stop; your skills aren't as developed as mine; I can adapt quickly, because I have the combat experience. You don't. Got it?" he asked, to which he received a curt nod and a light smile. "Good. But we aren't starting today…I really wasn't ready to push myself this far anyways," he said, standing shakily and walking towards the equipment, picking it up and placing it in his bag.

Ridley wasn't happy, but she had just agreed to listen to his direction. She wasn't happy about being mentored by a farm boy, but apparently he wasn't much of a farm boy, if he was telling the truth. _Either way, he'll help me get better…and then I'll surpass him, and be able to fight on my own._ _Maybe then he'll tell me everything._

"Hey, come on. We're leaving," he said, having already shouldered his bag, walking down the tunnel back. Ridley stood and grabbed her axe, catching up rather quickly to his slow pace. Feather earing or not, it didn't help when you were exhausted.

* * *

"My goodness, you're a mess master Jack!" the captain stated as the pair walked into the room. "You two didn't get into a fight, did you? I won't have that in my squad!"

"Relax, captain. We were just exploring, and ended up in one of the mines. I got a bit roughed up, but we made it out alright," Jack explained, looking to Ridley with a light grin. "She was a little more equipped to handle it than I was, actually." Ridley blushed slightly and shook her head.

"Maybe if you hadn't been so insistent on going in there, we wouldn't have gotten into a battle at all," she said, to which Jack was actually impressed. She could act; he wondered if the castle life taught her that.

The captain, looking between the pair, beamed slightly, proud that his teammates had gotten over their differences. "Very well you two. Get yourselves cleaned up and head to bed; we may be called to leave tomorrow, and we need to be ready."

Jack smiled and nodded, though he was sure that the cart would take at least another day to be prepared, heading towards the small shower area that was provided with their room, leaving Ridley and the captain to themselves.

Removing his battered equipment and plunging himself into the warm water, Jack sighed, finally allowing himself to relax. This wasn't going the way he'd planned at all. Yet it was still possible to help the world, so he could try to content himself with that idea.

"Jack?" he heard a voice asked, causing him to stiffen up again, prepared to act his way out of things. "Don't worry, I won't bother you long. I just wanted to ask you something…something I thought of on the way here," Ridley said from the door, speaking calmly. The captain had left to go help with a thief plaguing the local bar, so she didn't need to worry anymore about being overheard.

"Does anything happen to me?" She had thought this through; from the way he'd treated her since they first met, and with the new information she had, she guessed that they had gotten along eventually through their continued companionship, but now that she was plagued with thoughts of the unforeseen future, she had begun to question what would happen to herself. Staying silent for a few moments, when Jack finally spoke, she wasn't very pleased.

"Don't think so highly of yourself; now let me shower so I can go to bed," Jack said curtly, his eyes closed under the water. Some things were better left unspoken, and he could do without plaguing her mind with thoughts of being a vessel for a dragon.


	6. Chapter 6: Peace of Mind

Well, good news everyone! I finally found my muse, as I was at work the other day. I know where I'm going to take the story now, so it shouldn't be months before another update. I really like the idea I'm going to go with, but it couldn't be made obvious here. Anyways, enjoy this chapter, give me some criticism, and of course, I don't own any of the characters, original story, or original dialogue.

* * *

Jack felt as if his eyes had only been closed for a few minutes before he was shaken awake by the Captain.

"It seems that the goods are ready," Ganz stated, making sure the young man was awake. "Let's head to the top of the cliff. Lady Ridley is already prepared and has gone ahead. Come now, Jack; a knight mustn't be slothful," he added, cheery as ever as he left the young man to prepare himself. Jack lay still for a few more seconds before pushing himself, his limbs stiff from the previous day's training.

_I don't think you'd call it sloth if you knew what I got myself into yesterday, captain,_ he thought groggily to himself, looking down at his right hand, noting the series of light blue triangles flashing on the back of it. He still didn't know what the hell it was…but he knew it was only going to get more powerful. Groaning, he pushed himself off the bed and switched into his trainee armor, lucky that it was still in one piece. _I can't push myself that hard daily…I'm getting stronger, but at what cost? I need to regulate myself. Maybe having a training partner will help._

Shouldering his bag, he made his way out of the inn, nodding to the Dwarven innkeeper as he left. Turning towards the gate, Jack nearly ran into his female comrade, who had been waiting for him.

"Come on, farm boy. By now the client may be waiting, all because you had to sleep in," Ridley stated, her eyes betraying the same exhaustion as Jack's. It wasn't so much physical as mental; the thought of the scenario Jack described the previous day had kept her awake most of the night, which was the cause of her weariness.

Nodding to her statement, Jack tried to ignore that tired look, as much as he was trying to ignore the strain of his muscles from the day before, walking towards the gate. The girl followed in suit, saying nothing, debating her own thoughts as the advanced concept left both of them in a daze. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the designated spot, where the captain and Clive were standing. Donovitch hadn't arrived yet. Jack looked back momentarily to Ridley, giving a smile.

"Try not to look too tired, my lady," he said with a touch of his playful manner, causing her to huff before she could realize what he was doing. Stretching upward, Jack gave a yawn and rubbed his eyes. "So, where's the client, captain? Isn't he supposed to be here too?"

"But of course, master Jack. We're merely a little early…best to be prepared, you know," Ganz stated, the most peppy of the group this morning. This statement, however, caused Jack to groan.

"I could've slept in…" he muttered, trying to play his part, but also trying to relax. Jack wasn't used to being this serious; he wanted to enjoy these days with his friends while he could, while everything was still naturally playing its part in time.

"If you weren't such a slacker, you might be used to it…"Ridley chided, to which Jack turned backwards and frowned.

"Hey, I've been getting up early for years…I live on a farm, as you so kindly point out every chance you get. We work hard, you know, and I don't like it that you take every chance you can to criticize my lifestyle. I try, and that's what should count, right?" he asked, catching the girl by surprised. Ridley had just hoped to continue the jabbering until their client arrived, and Jack had taken it to a whole new level. He may have even been offended. Unwilling to admit her rudeness, Ridley turned to look over the edge of the cliff, noticing that the gate was rising to allow someone passage.

"Looks like our client is on his way," she said, picking up her things and getting ready to go. Jack, rather than continuing to argue, did the same. The captain, who thought he might have to step in, decided against it; he would talk to the both of them later, perhaps individually. After a few moments, a dwarf made his way up the hill, riding in a cart led by a large goat. The captain stepped forward and bowed his head.

"We are the Rose Cochon brigade. We are here to escort the trade goods in place of the Violet Chevre," he stated for the man, who looked around at the other knights. The captain seemed to be a good soldier, but each of the others seemed to have a few flaws. One looked as if he might be an idiot, the girl looked to be stubborn and prideful, and the boy...his eyes looked far too tired for a child his age. He had more trouble on his plate than someone twice his age, and he didn't even have a beard yet!

"Are the Knights running out of Recruits? Looks like their standards are slipping…" he said, shaking his head. Jack laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, while Ridley winced at the insult.

"Now, now, you two. Don't give our client any trouble. Trust is something that must be earned, a little bit at a time. The violet Chevre completed many escort missions and earned the trust they enjoy. We have no such record. We must work hard, with diligence and sincerity, and win the same respect for ourselves," the captain stated, his eyes shimmering as his pride as a knight of Radiata came into his heart. Donovitch looked at the captain and nodded firmly.

"The troops are flawed, to be sure, but the leader is wise enough. You do your jobs now, do you hear? If we lose this cargo, there will be hell to pay," he said, nudging the goat into movement along the path.

"Worry not, sir. We shan't relax our guard for a second!" the captain stated, following the cart. "Master Jack, you take the front end. Lady Ridley, Master Clive, please help me in guarding the rear and the sides." All three of the addressees nodded and went to their posts, all making sure their weapons were ready in case of bandits.

The first few hours passed without much incident. A few bandits had heard of the cargo being delivered, and of course, had tried to attack. But these common thieves were unskilled and weak; even Clive could almost hold his own against them. Initially, Jack's tense state had prevented him from being able to fight at his fullest, but after the sun had moved across the sky, he found himself in a perfectly capable state, feeling the fruits of his labor setting in already. As the party moved down the path, and a small shack became visible, Jack swore mentally as he remembered the scene about to unfold. Turning backwards, he stepped past the quizzical Donovitch in front of the captain.

"Captain…I need to…uh…take a leak," he said, speaking quietly as so no one could hear him. Unfortunately, he could tell that wasn't the case, as he heard a small snicker from his female comrade.

"Very well, Master Jack. I trust you can catch up to us when you're done. Lady Ridley, please move to the front to take his place." As Jack went towards the woods, he looked back on the group as they moved forward, looking around the area for the three troublemakers who would soon make their appearance. Instead of finding them, however, he spotted two other figures watching from the trees, both of whom he recognized.

"Natalie…and Leonard? What are they doing here?" he spoke quietly to himself, his eyes narrowing. Was he being watched? Did someone in the castle know what was going to happen as well? He couldn't think about it now, there wasn't time. As the cart approached the house, he heard the first of the goblins make their appearance.

"Yoohoo! Doodly-doodoo!" the first said, making a face at the group, while the second stated the revealing "Us Goblin Trio!"

_Time to move,_ Jack thought, proceeding from the trees at a sprint, kept low with his sword held ready. As the party started to panic, Clive turned to look at the approaching goblin. _Some help you are, man,_ Jack thought, giving a mental sigh as he came up on the goblin from behind, bringing his sword back like a baseball bat before slamming it into the sneaking goblin's back, sending it flying past the anxious groups and into some nearby trees.

"Sorry, guys. Not gonna happen today," he said to the already startled party, Donovitch most of all. "Looks like I finished up in time though, at least," he added with a cocky grin.

"Indeed Master Jack, your timing was impeccable!" the captain stated, drawing his large sword and pointing it at the remaining goblins. "Will you still fight us? You cowards ran last night, but you shan't escape today if you choose to continue this debacle."

"You've seen these three before, captain?" Ridley asked, bringing her ax up as well, prepared for battle.

"These were the three who were stealing liquor from the bar in Earth Valley. I went to route them…but the out maneuvered me," the captain said, a little bit of hurt in his voice. _I get it captain, don't worry_, Jack thought to himself, returning to the main group. The goblins, who had been watching, shook their heads.

"We be good! We go away now! No hurt us like you hurt Gob!" they stated, looking more to Jack than anyone else before turning tail and running. As soon as they were far enough away, their leader came out of the trees, rubbing his head. "Ugh…you fight good," he said, looking for his comrades. Jack put down his sword and pointed into the distance, where some dust was still left from their trail. The goblin, nodding his thanks, took off after his comrades, all of the gone as fast as they'd come. Everyone put at ease; they lowered their weapons and gave a light laugh.

"That sure was a close one, Captain," Jack said, giving a grin and scratching his head, his normal characteristics.

"Indeed, Master Jack, the timing was amazing. And you hit that goblin so hard, he won't walk straight for weeks," the captain said, causing both captain and recruit to laugh heartily, though the remaining three didn't find much humor in this statement. After Ganz and Jack had their laugh, the party reorganized and started their way back to the castle, in the same formation as before. It was a relatively light hearted manner, only coming across small threats which were easily dispatched. The general good mood of those there wasn't ruined at all, given how smoothly that last event had gone.

As they entered the city, and the cart approached the gate, the knights gave a sigh of relief; their job had been done, and everyone was alright. Donovitch stepped down from his cart and looked at all of the knights, before giving a weak smile.

"You said earlier that trust had to be earned...and you all have certainly earned it. While I admit, I was curious to see how the son of Gawain could fight…I am happy to see that you have grown into such a good man, son of Gawain," the dwarf said to the captain, whose eyes widened.

"Mr. Donovitch…are you saying that you knew my father?" The captain asked, generally surprised.

"Of course. I know all about Gawain, and all about you, too."

"About…me?"

"I suppose you don't remember. Well, you were only about yay high at the time," the old dwarf said, gesturing with his hands. "Anyway, it's good to see that little Ganz has grown up into such a fine young man. You've still got things to learn, but it seems that you have the heart of your father in you. You will always be welcome in Earth Valley. Come and visit any time. You can bring your friends, too. Till next time," the man, starting to walk away. Setting down his bag, Jack walked after the man, given no objection by the stunned captain.

"Excuse me, Donovitch," Jack stated, looking at the old dwarf with a weak smile. "When things get really bad…find me. I'll be there to help, I promise." Having said this, he nodded his head and headed back to the main group. Watching with sad eyes, Donovitch shook his eyes.

"That boy will bring the world down on his shoulders…he has enough to bear, yet he continues to offer himself. I hope that I never have to call to you for help," he stated, watching the group a little longer before continuing towards his destination.

As Jack returned to the group, he shouldered his bag again and grinned. "So, what now, captain?" Snapping the man out of his trance, the Captain looked around before clearing his throat.

"Well, the mission is not yet done until we go and give our report to Lord Larks. I'll lead the way to his office," Ganz stated, walking up to the guards and stating that they had returned from their mission.

As the party walked up the flights of stairs, finally reaching the fourth floor, Jack felt…tense. Anyone could imagine why; not only was he walking within speaking distance of the silver dragon, he was also close to other major players in this game; Cross, the General, and the king himself! But before he knew it, they had passed all other offices and come to Lord Larks office.

"Come in, please," a voice answered as the captain knocked, and all of the party stepped inside. Stepping before the leader of the knights, he greeted them as if they were equals.

"I'm glad you've returned safely," the man stated, smiling weakly. Nervously, the captain responded with a

"Thank you, sir. Thank you very much, sir," obviously very nervous. When Lord Larks asked about the mission, the captain gave a quick run through.

"We had some excitement on the way back. We were ambushed by a gang of goblins. However, everyone performed their duty and we escaped without incident."

"Very good, Ganz. I imagine you are all very tired from your journey. You can tell me the rest in your written report," the man responded, only for the captain to step forward.

"Sir, there was also this…Mr. Gonovitch, the elder of the dwarf village, asked that this letter be delivered to his majesty. It details some of the dwarves new prices for their works…a rather difficult situation," he said nervously. Looking down at the letter in Ganz's hand calmly, he accepted it with a nod.

"Very well. You may leave it with me. Thank you. That will be all for today. You are dismissed. Sleep well. Getting sufficient rest between assignments is one of your most important duties," he said, giving a light smile before all stood at attention, walking out with this kind dismissal.

As soon as the door was closed, Ganz gave a sigh of relief. "Well done everyone. As lord Larks said, it is very important that knights rest in preparation for their next mission. Jack, be sure to get a good night's sleep. Don't go wandering around the castle all night," the captain said, nodding as he headed to his own quarters for some rest, ushering Clive along and discussing his payment. Jack sighed as well, looking to Ridley with a calm expression.

"Well then…tomorrow, we train. Meet me in the training center at 8 a.m., and don't be too late," he said, walking towards the stairs, his own sleepiness finally catching up with him. Today had been fun, even jovial, but he knew these days wouldn't last long. Things didn't work this way when there was a war coming.


	7. Chapter 7: Fight to Protect Another

Sorry for the wait everyone. And for the last few chapters...I went to reread them to get inspired for this one, and I found plenty of grammatical and spelling errors. Need to pick up my game a little. Hopefully my next update will come within a month of this one. I have plenty of time in the summer, since all I'm doing is working.

Anyways...Enjoy! Read and review, as always.

Oh, and sorry there's no new material, if you get an alert. Not sure if updating the story will do that...just a few fix-ups.

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Fight to protect another

Though it seemed like only seconds had passed, Jack awoke to the alarm he'd set the night before; it was six a.m., and his mind was still buzzing. He'd hoped a night of rest might cool him down, but it seemed that he wasn't going to be at his best today…again. Not that it mattered, really; he was supposed to train with Ridley today. While he knew she'd be trying, he also knew that by now, his capabilities were far beyond hers.

Making his way out of the room, holding his training gear in one arm with his sword in the other, he headed toward the training room, the halls void of any other people. As he made his way into the room itself, the sound of his footsteps echoed off of the walls; he could get used to this early morning routine, he thought. It was a good way to clear his thoughts, and the need to keep up appearances was void when there was no-one around.

At that, though, he paused; was he going to be here long enough to adjust to a routine? What was his next move? He knew what was coming, but he still hadn't thought of a way around it. He had to look at the pieces, try to figure out what to do next. Above all, he had to make sure that the same thing didn't happen twice; Ridley couldn't be hurt again. That was what mattered most.

Giving a sigh, he leaned against a wall and slowly slid down. His will was starting to slip away; it had only been one day of intense training, and everything was slowly going downhill. Was it because someone else knew? No…it was because one of the people he wanted to save specifically knew, he corrected. This was all turning into one huge mess, and he wasn't exactly prepared to handle it.

"I never was the smartest guy, was I…" he spoke to the empty room, giving a weak smirk. "But this isn't like before…I can't just go rushing in and hope everything turns out okay. I need to plan this out…where's the root of the problem?" he asked himself, closing his eyes to concentrate. Who had started this chain of events? After a few seconds, his eyes snapped open.

"Cross…" he said through gritted teeth. His foolish bigotry was what had started this entire series of events. In the end, he was a hindrance, and he needed to be taught a lesson. Just as he thought he'd take out some of his aggression on a nearby target, he heard the doors creak open, and found his partner for the day standing, looking down at him. She seemed a bit better off than him, but then again, she was also about an hour and a half earlier than he'd asked her to be here.

"Well, looks like we're both early. That should help," he said, tossing the training device towards her. She caught it, albeit a bit surprised at his cheery demeanor. When she'd walked in, it looked like he was angry…but now he was back to what she'd come to guess was his usual self.

"Couldn't sleep…" she muttered, looking at the training device. "What do I need to do?"

"Well first of all, put that on and do whatever you'd do for a regular warm up. You need to get used to the way it restricts your movements…just please, keep it on a lower setting for the time being," he said, giving a light grin to her as he cracked his neck, doing a few makeshift pushups and sit-ups. Ridley stared at him for a few seconds before finally starting to work her way into the equipment.

The difference was not as powerful as the last time; Jack must have lowered the level for her. She didn't like to admit that he was better, but she was thankful she could move. Starting her routine with her regular stretches, she could feel her muscles tensing up. Rather than bringing her dismay, she felt excitement. She could really improve this way, and then, he'd be nothing but another stepping stone in her career. At least, that's what she would've said a few days ago. The situation was different now. After seeing how distracted Ridley had become, Jack walked up to her and snapped a few times in front of her face, making her jump.

"Hey, I need you to focus. Come on now, we're going to start," he said, pulling her back to reality. "Go on, pick up your axe. We're gonna start off easy," he said, setting his sword against the wall. "Just try and hit me." She stared at him a bit stunned. Was he so arrogant that he'd really fight her without a weapon? He was asking for the wounds he was about to get. Nodding with her teeth gritted, she rushed at him, swinging her ax down at his head, he sidestepped the blow, and her weapon hit the floor, causing a small indent. Whistling lightly, he shook his head.

"Not bad, but we need you to have a bit more power than that, don't we?" he asked, grinning, intentionally provoking her. This was the best way to show her that she had limits, and she needed to know them. Leaning and dodging, he kept that stupid smirk on his face. He could see her eyes livid with the rage of being helpless. He'd felt it more than once, so he could recognize the look. But this wasn't the time to reminisce; he needed to keep on his toes. After fifteen minutes, Ridley was panting, covered in sweat, her ax resting on the ground while she used it as support, kneeling. Jack, panting lightly himself, walked over to her and crouched.

"That's your limit right now. Even without that training device, you would've only lasted a few more minutes. I couldn't have dodged every attack if your movements if you hadn't been restricted, so don't feel so hopeless," he said, looking her in the eyes with a simple smile. "Ya did good. You just have to know where your abilities are right now. From there, we can improve." Pulling at the chain on the back of the device, it loosened and slipped off her body.

She was too tired to argue. Her muscles were taut, and her rough breathing was keeping her from getting out a full sentence without being interrupted. She couldn't fight against him when he pulled the training gear off of her. That was a low setting? She was already exhausted, and she knew they weren't done. How could he put up with all the pain? She watched him slip the device on himself and increase the setting to his level.

"Now, it's your turn to help me. You can have five minutes to cool down, but I need you to be able to swing your ax at me when you're done," he said, stretching casually.

"You're not human," she spat, her breath returning to her. "You're insane. How the hell can you keep going?" she asked, falling onto her rump, still clutching the handle of her weapon. Jack looked down at her thoughtfully before something clicked.  
"Ridley…why do you fight? Why are you a knight?" he asked calmly, looking up at the ceiling. Ridley opened her mouth to answer, as if the answer should've been easy, but she found that she had no words.

"I…My family name. I fight to honor the Silverlake name," she said, almost feeling foolish for saying it. She knew his reasons were more serious, but that was what she had clung to for years.

"I'm not saying that's a bad reason…but a very strong person once told me something that I think you should hear. She said 'Only those who fight to protect another are able to acquire true strength.' It's something I've taken to heart…and when you have that motivation, you find yourself fighting harder than you ever thought possible," he said, closing his eyes. He'd have to talk to the Chief soon. He was sure he could trust her, even in the darkest moment.

Ridley watched the boy in awe. Fighting to protect another is what gave someone true strength? No wonder he could go on even through these extremes. He wasn't just fighting for one person; he was fighting for everyone he could imagine. Family, friends, comrades…he was doing it all for them. And what did she have? Who could she fight for? She hadn't really made friends, and she wasn't close to her father. She looked at Jack again before sighing. She only knew of one person she could fight for at this point. And he needed all the help he could get. Standing shakily to her feet, she found her bearings and raised her ax.

"Alright, farm-boy. Enough chit-chat. Let's see if you're still so quick on your feet when I'm not in that metal death-trap," she said, talking as cheekily as ever, but with new motivation. She would fight to make him better. She would fight by his side to make sure he didn't end up dying before he was done. She would keep him in check, if that was possible. It was all she had to defend at this point. But if Jack was right, it would give her a reason to train harder than before.

Grinning, Jack nodded, readying his sword. Things had gone exactly as he'd hoped, and she was up and ready with a renewed vigor. _I just hope this will be enough. Whatever she's fighting for, it needs to be something important,_ he thought, ignorant of what that cause was.

After a few hours of practice, the pair found themselves exhausted, both using their weapons as crutches. They couldn't help but laugh at themselves in the last few minutes of their fight, as both were fighting so poorly that they found it comical. Jack told Ridley that they were done for now, and that they both needed to clean up. Ridley nodded her agreement, and the pair went their separate ways. Both went to clean up, but from there, the paths they took differed immensely.

Ridley wanted to rest up for a few hours, though she planned to do some training on her own later on. She couldn't let Jack keep getting stronger, while she waited and only grew when he was willing to help her. After showering, she lay back on her bed and yawned lightly. "Farm-boy, you're better now, but you won't be for long…" she muttered, closing her eyes, exhaustion taking over her body for the time being.

Jack, however, had other things in mind. Even if his body was exhausted, he could still work toward his goal. He just had to be careful about it. He had three things in mind to do today. First, he wanted to go speak with Elwen. Second, he needed to speak with Larks, and gain his confidence. And finally, he needed to see if he could get any dirt on Cross. Right now, he couldn't handle him in a fight, but he wanted to make sure he had the upper hand in case it came to it sooner rather than later. After cleaning off the grime of training, he switched into his casual clothing and made for the gate. He spoke with the guards on his way out to make sure he could get back in when he was done in town. He pointed at his face, making sure they recognized him as a knight this time around.

Strolling down the hill towards Theater Vancoor, Jack smiled lightly. Though his body was stressed, his mind was at ease. How long had it been since he'd been able to walk through town? How long had it been since he had been named an enemy of the kingdom, and was attacked on sight by people he had called his friends? He shook that last thought off. This was a second chance, and he was going to make sure things went differently. Looking up at the sign above Vancoor's door, he grinned and walked in.

Upon his entrance, a few heads turned. The regular group was playing cards at a table in the corner. Gene and Carlos soon lost interest in him, however, and he walked up to the counter. Thanos stared the young man down, assessing his ability, before speaking. "You wanna join Vancoor, kid? I think you may have some potential." Jack smiled and shook his head.

"Not today, Thanos. I was wondering if I could speak with Chief Elwen," Jack said, causing the man to raise an eyebrow.

"Oh? And who are you to ask to speak with the chief?" Jack thought a moment before answering, making sure to word the phrase carefully.

"Truthfully, I'm no-one right now. But I think if you asked her, she'd let me talk to her. My name is Jack Russel. Can you at least ask for me?" Jack asked politely. The man behind the desk sighed before standing. "Fine. Wait here, kid," he said, walking up the stairs. Jack leaned against the desk, closing his eyes. For a moment, he felt at ease; as that moment passed, he felt himself tense up. His eyes shot open, and he jumped to the left, dodging a sword-swing by a familiar, gruff looking man.

"What the Hell!" Jack said, drawing his sword. He didn't mean to sound so immature, but he was caught completely off guard. Deputy Gerald grinned, letting his arms fall to his sides. "Wow, kid. You're pretty good. Considering how off guard you were, I'm surprised you came out unscathed. You might even get bonus points for that," he said, laughing heartily.

"Sorry, Deputy, but he isn't taking the test," Thanos said, approaching from the stairwell. The Deputy turned to look at him, and then shook his head.

"Well isn't that a damned shame. He has potential," the man said, sheathing his swords. As the man headed up the stairs, Jack watched him until he was out of sight, sheathing his weapon as well. _I forgot how eccentric he was about that test,_ Jack thought to himself, looking to Thanos.

"Can I go talk to her?" Jack asked a tad irritated, but Thanos merely grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, she said you'd know where she was," he said, taking his seat behind the desk. Jack nodded and headed up the familiar staircase, stopping just outside her room. He raised his hand to knock, but he was cut off before it connected with the door.

"It's open," the voice called from within, and Jack opened the door casually, walking towards the nearest chair and throwing himself into it. The woman in armor looked at him with a curious look, analyzing his exhausted state. "You've been training hard, Jack. But there's no need to rush." Jack looked up at her with a weak smile, shaking his head.

"I had a feeling you'd remember. Or maybe I just really wanted you to remember…" he said, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. "But you're wrong. We need to rush. We can't assume time is on our side…I need to stop this before it starts." Elwen looked at the young man and sighed, taking off her helmet and placing it on the desk.

"Tell me how we got here, and then we can gauge our options."


	8. Chapter 8: A Clash and an Encounter

Wow, an update just over a month from my last one? It must be summer!

Thank you for all the new reviews, and a special thanks to Batsutousai for providing me with a full script of the non-human side of the game. If I need to reference any of the events of the past/future, that'll make my life a hell of a lot easier.

And, of course, thanks for all of the reviews of the newest chapter. I apologize for all of the grammatical and or spelling errors. I promise to reread my drafts before I post them from now on.

Anyways, hope you enjoy the new chapter. As always, I don't own the game or the characters.

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"And then I woke up back here," Jack finished, giving a sigh of relief. He hadn't been able to tell anyone the full story yet; about the dragons, that bizarre dungeon where time and space were warped, about the Ethereal Queen and that weirdo Gabriel Celeste. The chief had listened calmly, not questioning anything, but when he went to look back at her, she had a distant look in her eyes.

"Alright, Jack. Before we begin, I think I need to tell you a story myself. About a time when I was much younger, though not quite as young as you," she said, giving a weak smile. "The place you spoke of…I went there, with several of my comrades. Into the Dragon's Lair." Jack gawked at her.

"You knew that place existed? And you went there?" he asked, amazed. "Why didn't you tell anyone about it?"

"Jack, that place is a trial ground for only the strongest warriors. Even if I had told someone, to find it, you need to have proved yourself. We were like you…we were strong. But we overestimated our strength. Apparently, we only scratched the surface of that dark place…I never got the chance to fight this Queen, or Celeste. We made it to the Corridor of Distortion before we were forced to turn back."

Jack was surprised. He had always thought the chief was stronger than he was, even during the war. She had definitely handed him a beating on the bridge before going to find Parsec.

"What happened, chief?" He hesitated, not sure he wanted to ask the other question on his mind. "Does it have to do with that tomb you go to visit?" The chief turned her vision to him, eying him down, as If trying to gather how much he knew before nodding.

"We weren't as strong as you. We had casualties. Specifically, he was the leader of our group…and the man I loved," she said, starting to shake as she continued, though whether out of anger, fear, or sorrow, Jack couldn't tell. "We fought the dragons. We beat that freak, Radian…but when we got to the corridor…everything changed. People from our past started to come back, wanting to fight us, wanting to kill us. We were overwhelmed by the trail of dead we had left in our wake…and Alfred was slain." Taking a moment to collect herself, she eventually calmed, looking to Jack with a solid stare.

"Everyone else in that group put down their weapons, and has passed on. All except for me. I was left with the duty of leading Theater Vancoor, and carrying on his legacy through his sword, Avcoor. I thought that would be the end of my dealings with that place…but it seems that isn't going to be the case." Pausing for a moment, she asked the question that now plagued her mind. "Who did you see in the Corridor of Distortion?"

Jack was stunned by her tale. He knew that she had a bloody past, and that someone she cared about had died…but he couldn't even imagine the situation she had gone through. That dungeon had been a trial to him, a sign of strength. It was tough, but he knew there would be something to reward him at the end of it. He had never imagined it would be this, but he knew something was there. At her questioning, he reigned in his thoughts.

"I saw…my dad. Cairn Russell. It was…enjoyable. He was even more eccentric about fighting me than Gerald was," Jack said, smiling weakly. Elwen was stunned for only a moment before she realized why things had gone differently. Jack had indeed fought in a war, but he had only fought to protect. She, at one point, had fought to kill, to better herself through the blood of others. Jack was more innocent than that.

"Well then, Jack…where do you plan to go from here? I know you said you don't have a true plan, but I think you have a few things in mind, at least," she said, calmly.

"I'm going to go speak to Larks after I'm done here. I have a favor to ask of him…before I leave the knights. Think I can still get into Theater Vancoor?" he asked jokingly, only to be met by a calm, but calculating, stare. With a sigh, he opted to reveal more. "Fine, fine. I plan on hitting things from the start. The start of the whole chain of events leading to the war was the transpiritation ritual. The captain told me once that Cross was behind the whole thing, trying to set them loose on the City of Flowers. He was there at the end, too…a pawn of the silver dragon. If I can take him out, or at least that blood orc…Ridley won't get hurt. And that will possibly buy us a lot of time."

"Ridley…she was the one to become the vessel for the gold dragon, correct? And didn't you say the silver dragon is someone inside the castle? Wouldn't it be more convenient to take care of the dragon sooner rather than later?" The chief asked, already assessing how they could do such a feat.

"No. We have to leave him for last. Even if we destroyed him, there would still be a war. Believe me, that was my first thought too, Chief, but for now, we have to concentrate on stopping the entire process. One of the reasons I'm leaving the castle is because I don't want to risk being noticed by him. Parsec knew he was there…" He quieted, thinking of the dragon who had helped the elves before.

"You know more about the chain of events than I do. You were at the center of it. But speaking of Parsec…I believe we'll have much more to discuss this time around, when he comes into the city." Jack looked up, confused.

"What? I thought that he never showed up here," he questioned, to which he heard a rare laugh come from Elwen. She had heard the story of the 'old geezer' and his 'funny money'.

"No, he showed up. I just didn't want to let you know. It was dangerous, letting you hang around with the fire dragon. I remembered him from our fight, and he…well, he remembered me as well. Besides, he didn't say much. We mostly spat veiled insults at each other. You didn't miss much." Jack sighed and nodded his agreement. After a few moments of silence, he stood up.

"Alright, chief. I'm gonna head out. Like I said, I want to talk to Larks today. I'm not exactly sure what I'll say, but I know I need to talk to him. Thanks for listening…I'm sure you'll come up with a better plan than I ever could," Jack said, waving and quickly making his way through the door. Elwen gave a sigh of defeat, not even trying to stop the boy. Placing her helmet back on, she shook her head.

"Jack, you're going to be the one to save us. I can help, but honestly, you've got more at stake here than I do. You're trying to protect everyone, and that'll drive you to do your absolute best. Just don't get killed in the process," she spoke to the empty room, words that she hoped would reach Jack somehow.

Having made his way back to the castle, Jack was working his way up the stairs to the fourth floor. "Jeez, Sometimes I really wish I had access to the elevator," he mumbled to himself, climbing up the final set of stairs. As he walked towards the hallway leading to Larks, the door opened to reveal someone he had hoped to avoid for as long as possible. Immediately he gritted his teeth.

"Cross…" he said quietly through clenched teeth, and the man seemed to hear him, giving him an underwhelmed look.

"Ah, what have we here? The newest recruit. Why is someone of your irk up here? You aren't even in uniform…surely you didn't expect to speak to anyone? They don't have time for you," Cross stated, closing the distance between the two. It took all of Jack's will to control his rage at seeing this man. He tried to tell himself not to give the man the satisfaction of seeing his anger, that he technically hadn't done any wrong yet, but his hands quickly closed to fists.

"Forgive me, Sir Cross. But I do intend to go and speak with Lord Larks, if he is willing," Jack said, trying to stay the anger in his voice. His voice hadn't waivered, but apparently Cross had other thoughts.

"Again, I'm telling you as your superior, Lord Larks is a very busy man. He does not have time to speak with you. Come back when you've raised your rank and proved yourself on the battlefield, and perhaps he will be willing to hear what you have to say." The knight was pompous in his words and actions. Again, Jack's anger was being tested, and he wouldn't be able to control himself much longer.

"With all due respect, sir, I would like to hear that from the Lord himself. Captain Ganz is my direct superior, if you have a problem, take it up with him," he stated a bit harshly, causing the captain of the Noire Mouton brigade to feel the need to reprimand this boy.

"Boy, apparently you do not understand the chain of command-"

"Sir Cross, if you would, I believe that Lord Larks is perfectly capable of speaking with Jack for a time, if he so chooses," a strong voice stated, stepping up the stairs to reveal the form of someone above Cross himself. Both men stood at attention as he approached.

"Thank you, General Dynas!" Jack said, his anger dissolving slightly. This was a man he had admired, one who held strong beliefs and would surely be on his side in whatever happened. At least, that was what Jack hoped for. Though he had stopped him from killing Cross once before, when he learned of his evils, he would hopefully aid him rather than stop him. Cross, however, was far from pleased with this.

"General Dynas, do you intend to hold this knight higher than any other recruits? Because of his father?" The man asked, his anger and arrogance starting to show to the general. "You know we don't let knights ride on the coat tails of their parents. Any normal knight would be declined an audience without an appointment, why should Jack get to go at his convenience?"

The General found himself snagged, at this point. Cross was right; he may have been stricter with someone if it wasn't Jack. He had seen the boy fight in the trials, and had read Ganz's report. The boy was more skilled than any recruit he had seen come through. He had a bright future, despite his problem with authority.

"Indeed, you bring up a good point, Cross. Jack, you must learn to respect the authority of those higher than you," the general stated, upholding his stature. "That being pointed out, I realized I am showing some favoritism towards you. Still, if you would like me to relay a message to Lord Larks, I would be happy to do so."

Jack looked between the two and shook his head. This wasn't something that he could pass along in a short message.

"If I may not speak with him at this time, then I will wait until the appropriate time arises. Thank you for your generosity, General Dynas," Jack stated, looking once more at Cross, doing his best not to glare, before returning to the stair case. It was time to blow some more steam. Time to do some more training. Time to do something, to go somewhere, anywhere but here. After Jack had taken his leave, the general turned his gaze to Cross.

"But by your logic, you are also in the wrong, Cross. I outrank you, and you directly questioned me as well. Next time, think about your actions before you take them. After all, you shouldn't be threatened by such a fledgling," the general said, the captain visibly flinching at the general's words. He stood still until the general had left him, before letting his full frustration show. "Curse that man…" Cross stated calmly, taking his leave as well. He couldn't let this stop him. His glory would be coming soon, once he had sieged the City of Flowers.

And from behind the doorway, a familiar dark haired man smiled. Things were falling into place, as far as he was concerned. He could use Cross' arrogance…though the general would need to go. Indeed, he even felt a small sign of a threat from the young man as well. That was much easier to take care of, however. He merely had to keep the man from advancing. Having no reason to delay, Lucian moved to return to the side of Lord Jasne.

Jack had gotten out of the castle as quickly as he could. Though it was getting late, he needed to go somewhere and fume. He took to walking the streets of Radiata as he would do in the past. Or perhaps the future.

_Gah, all of this time travel crap is frying my brain!_ He thought, kicking the nearest stone into a trashcan. He heard a cat hiss and run off, but he didn't care. This wasn't the time for protecting a stray, it was a time for him to blow some steam.

"You've got a lot of nerve," Jack heard a voice say, making him jump. Fully taking in his surroundings again, he realized he'd walked straight into the Void Community, and the voice had come from behind him. Jack's fighting instincts rushed back to him, and he jumped back, drawing his sword. The girl in white merely smirked lightly, watching him with slight interest. "That's a bit better. You should be more prepared if you're going to walk around the Void Community at night. I should know, after all."

Jack took a moment to examine who was actually taunting him. She was a girl around his age, or at least his physical age, dressed in a way that meant she was one of the stealthier members. Maybe she was a thief? He resisted the urge to check his pockets to make sure he had everything. But as he looked at her eyes, any impressions he had gotten about her physical features vanished. Though she was grinning, there was some overwhelming sorrow hidden behind those eyes…er…eye. Since her bangs hung over one side of her face, he could only see one eye watching him, though he supposed that was enough. Giving a sigh, he let his quick conclusion rest. It wasn't his place to say anything.

"Yeah, I didn't intend to come here…I just needed to get away for a while. Just got distracted with my thoughts, I guess. Thanks for bringing me back, girlie," Jack said, lowering his smile and giving a light grin. "Might I know the name of my savior?"

Lily stared back at the boy a bit less amused. She had thought she would be able to toy with him some, but it appeared that he regained his composure pretty quickly. Was he underestimating her as a threat? She wasn't sure, but if he was, he was going to regret it.

"Actually, I wasn't helping you. I just like my prey to know there's someone after them before I strike," she said, drawing her twin blades. "Besides, I'm way out of your league. You look like you grew up on a farm or something," she added, smirking as she saw his frustrated reaction. "I'm going to have to teach you a lesson for stepping where you don't belong, farm boy."

Jack gritted his teeth and brought his sword back to the ready. "I am not going to be known as farm boy!" he said, disliking the nickname enough when Ridley said it. "You want to fight? Fine. How about we make a bargain? If I win, you never call me that again. If you win…well, I think you'll have enough satisfaction, but what are your terms?" After thinking for a moment, Lily grinned lightly.

"I think I've come with something…if I win, you join void. When you're paying attention, you seem to be quick on your feet. You could probably be useful, if for nothing else than a meat shield," she said. Jack merely smirked at this, which caused her to frown. "You're underestimating me…aren't you?" she said, closing the distance between the two quickly, bring her sword down towards his head. Jack's blade caught hers, only having to use one arm.

"No, not really. I was expecting a little more out of you, to tell the truth," Jack said, twisting his blade before sending the first of hers flying out of the small alleyway. He'd have to be reasonable with this fight. There wasn't much room to swing from the side, so it would have to come from above, below, or the middle.

Lily jumped back, stunned. She didn't expect a maneuver like that from this guy, let alone being disarmed. She thought about going out for her sword, but that would take away her advantage of having a narrow area to fight in.

"What's wrong? Thinking too much on the battlefield can get you in trouble, you know," Jack said, running towards her. When she went to block the attack, Jack jumped up and kicked off the wall, landing behind her. Before he could move to strike, he had to block an incoming attack. Whistling, Jack grinned. "Wow, you do have quick reflexes," he said, pushing the girl back into the alleyway. Her eyes were livid, and he could tell she was getting frustrated. All he needed was for her to let her guard down and…

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Lily, you alright?"

"Damn!" Both Jack and Lily swore as footsteps were heard coming from behind Lily.

"Well, I'm not looking forward to fighting half of Void, so goodbye for now, _Lily_," he emphasized, laughing lightly as he took his leave, flicking his feather earing and running quickly towards Void's exit. "Let's do this again sometime!" he called back just before running out of sight.

Lily thought about going after him, but realized now wasn't the time. She was slipping if a random stranger was beating him. She's use Void's resources to find out who he was, and take him out from the shadows. It'd only be a matter of time. As the members of Void showed up to ask what was wrong, she shook her head and retrieved her lost sword, mumbling to herself that she'd get him next time.

By the time Jack got back to the castle, he was out of breath. He had run all the way, and was now laughing at the entire situation. Resting against his hands and knees, he grinned into the night.

"Lily, the girl in white…man, she's a looker," he told himself, laughing a little as he made his way to the castle gates. It was time to get some sleep. He'd be going on his next mission the day after tomorrow; it was time to rest up.


End file.
